Thank you for reading!

Please log in, sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.

Thank you for reading 10 free articles on our site. You can come back at the end of your 30-day period for another 10 free articles, or you can purchase a subscription and continue to enjoy valuable local news and information. If you need help, please contact our office at (828) 652-3313.

Sunday, Tuesday-Friday Print + All Access

Best Value

Get home delivery of the newspaper Sunday and Tuesday-Friday. Plus digital access, which includes unlimited use of McDowellNews.com on web and mobile web and our electronic replica edition every day for one low monthly fee. All prices listed are subject to North Carolina sales tax.

New Subscribers

Sunday Only Print + All Access

Get home delivery of the newspaper on Sunday. Plus digital access, which includes unlimited use of McDowellNews.com on web and mobile web and our electronic replica edition every day for one low monthly fee. All prices listed are subject to North Carolina sales tax. Only $10.28 after a three-month introductory period.

New Subscribers

Existing Subscribers

Digital Only All Access

Plus digital access, which includes unlimited use of McDowellNews.com on web and mobile web and our electronic replica edition every day for one low monthly fee. All prices listed are subject to North Carolina sales tax. Only $12 per month after three-month introductory period.

Let's Confirm You're In Our Delivery Area

* Three month introductory offer is only for subscribers who are not currently subscribing to any other special offer. After three months, each All Access plan will be $10.28 a month regardless of which print delivery is chosen. After three months, the digital only All Access plan will be $12.00 per month.

* Three month introductory offer is only for subscribers who are not currently subscribing to any other special offer. After three months, each All Access plan will be $10.28 a month regardless of which print delivery is chosen. After three months, the digital only All Access plan will be $12.00 per month.

Let's Confirm You're In Our Delivery Area

Sorry, this zipcode is not in our deliverable area for this subscription service.

On Thursday, July 24, at 4:53 p.m., an unknown suspect entered the Fifth Third Bank on South Main Street in Marion, approached a teller, demanded cash and then fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money. Just two days prior, at around the same time, the Fifth Third Bank on River Highway in Mooresville, approximately 85 miles away from Marion, was also hit by what looks like the same suspect in surveillance photos.

No one was harmed during either robbery.

Lt. Rusty Jenkins of the Marion Police Department said he received information about the Mooresville robbery from a McDowell deputy who had seen a report online.

“I contacted the investigator at the Mooresville Police Department the next day, and we are working with them,” said Jenkins. “There are some similarities in their case as well as ours.”

The suspect is described as a white male in his mid-30s, standing between 5 feet, 6 inches, and 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing approximately 160 pounds.

Jenkins said unfortunately there are no new leads at this time, but they are not giving up hope that someone will recognize the suspect from the pictures.

“The FBI has been notified and the pictures of the suspect have been released federally,” Jenkins told The McDowell News on Tuesday. “I can say that we are not familiar with this person even though the images we received from the bank are really clear.”

A Fifth Third representative in Charlotte did not return a phone call by deadline.

Jenkins said folks should not hesitate to call the Marion Police Department at 652-5205, or Crimestoppers at 65-CRIME should they recognize the suspect. With Crimestoppers, your identity remains anonymous and you could receive a cash reward.